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HUMAN VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

LECTURE NOTES

UNIT –III : CHAPTER IX 

CHAPTER IX: Harmony In The Society – From Family Order To World Order

Extending Relationship from Family to Society

Right Understanding at the individual level leads to harmony in the family. This leads to harmony in the society.

·         Understanding relationships in family, recognizing the feelings in these relationships and living according to these feelings leads to mutual happiness and fulfillment.

·         Slowly we become aware of our relatedness to all the human beings beyond the confines of our family such as friends, colleagues, people in the neighbourhood and even strangers.

Try to answer this question:

“ Do I want to live in harmony inly within a limited set of people or with everyone?”

·         Try to observe some most sought-after public figures. Also observe how famous personalities like Buddha, Mother Teresa, Vivekananda etc. established their connectivity with a vast majority of people – It is because they did not remain confined to the harmony with a limited set of people. They developed a relatedness with all the human beings.

·         The more you feel connected/ related to more and more number of people, the more you feel relaxed and satisfied. This helps to develop a feeling of assurance, trust and fearlessness in the social web.

Trust--------->Fearlessnes (Trust is the basis of Fearlessness, Peace and Harmony.)

·         Our Natural Acceptance extends from the level of Individual to the levels of Family and then Society and finally into a feeling of World Family. This forms the basis of an undivided society (Akhanda Samaj) a feeling of relatedness for all (we are all one family).

Thus, when we expand into a world family, we realize our responsibility in the society and participate in it.

Identification of Comprehensive Human Goal:

            For the fulfilment of the basic human aspirations of all human beings, the following Comprehensive Human Goal should be understood:

The Comprehensive Human Goal comprises of four constituents namely:

1.      Right Understanding (Samadhana)      -----------> In every individual

2.      Prosperity(Samriddhi)                             ------------> In every Family

3.      Fearlessness / Trust (Abhaya/Vishwas) --------> In Society

4.Co-existence
(Sahstitwa) ----------------> In Nature

All the above four constituents form the Comprehensive Human Goal in the same sequence as above.

Where are we today?

Right Understanding (in individuals) – We have only information and skills, no right understanding, no true happiness.

Prosperity in Families – We forgot that the need for physical facilities is limited and are trying to generate only more and more wealth.

·         Our economy, education, market is all luring us to generate more wealth.

·         We are interested in the lists of millionaires and trillionaires in our society and not in the lists of prosperous people.

·         We give importance to sensory enjoyment and are forgetting that wealth is needed only for keeping our body healthy.

Fearlessness/Trust in Society – We are working for strategic power and not fearlessness (In the name of defence, we are misusing the valuable resources of nature to make weapons and ammunition). Thus, we are becoming more fearful (of wars, fights etc.). We have organizations like the UNO, but we don’t have programs to ensure trust among people.

Co-existence (with Nature) – We are not giving importance to co-existence with nature and are figuring out ways to exploit Nature.

(The goal of our technological development is to get victory over Nature, to subjugate the entities in nature and to disrupt nature’s cycles for our whims and fancies.

Conclusion:  We have missed the core things in life and are unable to understand the harmony at all levels of our living.

·         The problem is that, the very first step towards change i.e. the Right Understanding is missing.

·         Right Understanding is the only route to prosperity and social harmony.

Programs needed to achieve the Comprehensive Human Goal: The five dimensions of Human Endeavour

In order to achieve the Comprehensive Human Goal, the following five dimensions of Human Endeavour are to be shaped and implemented in the society:

1.       Education – Right Living ( Siksha – Sanskar)

(leads to Right Understanding, Right Feelings and an all compassing solution,Samadhana)

 Education = To understand Harmony at all four levels of living)

Right Living = Commitment and Preparedness to live in harmony at all four levels of living

                The goal and objective of education is to ensure Right Understanding, Right Feelings and An-encompassing Solution(Samadhana) in every individual through Right Living.

2.       Health – Self Regulation (Svasthya – Sanyama)
(leads to Prosperity)
 Health = Harmony among the parts of the body and having a fit body which acts according to the needs of the Self “I”
Self-Regulation = A feeling of responsibility for nurturing, protecting and rightly utilizing the body.
Self-regulation is the basis of Health.

3.       Justice – Preservation ( Nyaya – Suraksha)

(leads to Fearlessness and Co-existence)

Justice = Human-Human Relation (relationship between human beings) – its recognition, fulfilment, evaluation – leading to mutual happiness

Preservation = Human – Rest of the Nature Relation – its recognition, fulfilment, evaluation – leading to mutual Prosperity

 Preservation involves ensuring the following three aspects:

1.       Enrichment – (I cultivate wheat; this enriches wheat as the quantity grows)
2.       Protection – (I protect it so that it is fit to eat)
3.       Right Utilization – (I use it for the nurturing of the body and do not let it get wasted)

    Production – Work ( Utpadana – Karya)
    (leads to Prosperity and Co-existence)
Production = Things obtained out of work
 Work = Labour that a human being does on the rest of the Nature

Two important questions come to our mind when we talk of Production – Work :
1.       What to produce?
2.       How to produce?

We should decide what to produce depending on the right identification of needs for the right utilization of the body.

 How to produce refers to the technology or systems we use for production.
 In Nature,
1.       The systems are cyclic and not open ended. For eg. Water cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Food chain etc.
2.       The systems are mutually fulfilling and mutually enriching. For eg. When birds, animals or humans eat guavaswhich come from nature, finally  they go back to nature(soil) itself through excreta.
              Hence we should design our production systemsinsuch a way that the mutual fufilment in nature is ensured and not disturbed.

5.       Exchange – Storage (Vinimaya – Kosa/ Kosh)

(leads to Prosperity and Fearlessness)

Exchange = Exchanging of produce for mutual fulfilment and not for madness of profit
 Storage = Storing of produce after the fulfillment of needs with a view of right utilization in future and not for hoarding.

What is our state today?

·         Our programs of education are based on literacy, training and information transfer and do not have anything to do with the study of Self
·         We are looking for new sources of sensual pleasures and losing control over self-regulation. We are producing new diseases through irresponsible living.
·         Today, we have the court of law to get justice. Yet in spite of thousands of courts and lawyers, the judgements passed and punishments given are unable to ensure real justice. Family values are deteriorating, communal violence and conflicts between people and communities are on the rise and nations have rising fears of destructive wars. Misusing the growth in Science and Technology has adversely affected the three aspects of Preservation namely Enrichment, Protection and Right Utilization.
·         Although Nature is cyclic and enriching, human production processes are largely Acyclic or Open-ended. For eg. We are carelessly using the fossil fuels like coal, petrol, diesel etc. which not only pollutes the atmosphere but also results in their depletion over a period of time. Several things produced by man are acyclic in nature and cannot be decomposed by Nature such as plastics, foams etc. These are very harmful to the atmosphere and are leading to the extinction of many species of  plant and animal life. 
·         Today man has developed from the early barter system to using currency for the sale and purchase of goods. With the greed to increase his income and profits, man is hoarding currency and other things, exploiting mankind and nature as well.

Harmony from Family Order to World Family Order: Universal Human Order

·         Once we understand the Comprehensive Human Goal and the five dimensions of Human Endeavour, in the light of Right Understanding, our Natural Acceptance extends from the level of Individual to the levels of Family and then Society and finally into a feeling of World Family. This forms the basis of an undivided society (Akhanda Samaj) a feeling of relatedness for all (we are all one family).

              Thus, when we expand into a world family, we realize our responsibility in the society and participate in it.

Undiveded Society (Akhanda Samaja) – feeling of being related to every human being
Universal Human Order (Sarvabhauma Vyavastha) – feeling of being related to every  unit including human beings and other entities of nature. 

CHAPTER XVI: Journey Towards The Holistic Alternative - The Road Ahead 

HUMAN VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

LECTURE NOTES

UNIT –V : CHAPTER XVI 

               

JOURNEY TOWARDS THE HOLISTIC ALTERNATIVE – THE ROAD AHEAD

Appreciating the need for Self-Exploration: The journey towards the holistic alternative begins with the need to appreciate the need for self-exploration. Through self-exploration, when we are able to realize the difference between what we are and what we really want to be, then the urgency of taking the corrective steps becomes clear.  

Facilitating the Understanding of Harmony at various levels:  After realizing the need for self-exploration, the next important step is to have access to the ways and means to facilitate its process. This will help to discover the harmony at various levels starting from our own-self spanning up to the entire existence .

Steps for evolution at the individual level: An exposure to the framework of right understanding has to be carried out with perseverance and commitment till we ourselves become confident to carry out the process of self-exploration and self-evolution in all human endeavours.

Steps for transition at the level of Family, Society and Profession:

Promoting Mass Awareness and Moving Towards Humanistic Education: The most crucial step to affect transition in the society is by creating mass awareness and by motivating people for self-exploration. This awareness can be brought about through personal interaction, popular literature, formal courses, workshops and seminars at various levels like schools, colleges, professional institutions etc.

Evolving Holistic Models of Living : It is necessary to develop holistic models of living such as the development of holistic technologies, production systems, and management models to to actualize the holistic ways of life.

Amending Policies, Programs and Social Systems in Tune with Comprehensive Human Goal: All our policies, programs, technologies and professions as well as the economic, political and social systems need to be gradually modified to suit the holistic worldview.

Is the Transition too Difficult?

It is often said that the vision for holistic alternative is idealistic and very difficult to achieve. But it is a wrong notion. Even small steps towards right understanding are very soothing, mutually fulfilling and confidence giving. The more we explore within ourselves, the more we develop the understanding and realization for the need of the holistic alternatives.

Conclusion

To ensure continuous happiness and prosperity in the human order, the transition to human consciousness is required. To bring about this transition towards the holistic alternative, it is necessary to create mass awareness and facilitate wide spread humanistic education. Also, extensive research has to be done to evolve and implement holistic technologies and systems. It is also necessary to make appropriate amendments in the policies, programs and social systems to facilitate the  transition.

CHAPTER XV: Vision For Holistic Technologies, Production Systems And Management Models 

HUMAN VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

LECTURE NOTES

UNIT –V : CHAPTER XV 

               Vision for Holistic Technologies, Production systems and Management Models

The Holistic Criteria for Evaluation:

There are three broad criteria to guide the development of technologies and systems conducive to human welfare:

1.       Catering to appropriate needs and lifestyles

2.       People friendly

3.       Eco friendly

More specifically, it can be described as follows:

Criteria for technologies –

·         Catering to real human needs

·         Compatible with natural systems and cycles

·         Facilitating effective utilization of human body, animals, plants and materials

·         Safe, user friendly and conducive to health

·         Producible with local resources and expertise as far as possible

·         Promoting the use of renewable energy resources

·         Low cost and energy efficient

·         Enhancing human interaction and cooperation

·         Promoting decentralization

·         Durability and life cycle recyclability of products

Criteria for Production Systems

What to produce?

How to produce?

For whom to produce?

And how much to produce?

Criteria to judge the appropriateness of production systems

·         Optimal utilization of local resources and expertise

·         Economic viability and sustainability

·         Priority for local consumption

·         Matching the pattern of production with the availability/producibility in the local environment and the pattern of consumption

·         Decentralized systems capable of meaningful employment of people in the community

·         Facilitating production by masses and not mass production in a centralized mode

·         Promoting individual creativity and sense of accomplishment

·         Using people-friendly and eco-friendly technologies

·         Ensuring requisite quality of production

·         Safe and conducive to health of persons involved in production as well as to others.

Criteria for Humanistic Management Models

·         The whole unit working as a well-knit family

·         Cooperative and motivational

·         Ensuring correct appraisal of human labour

·         Targeting employer-employee as well as consumer satisfaction and not profit maximization

·         Sharing of responsibility and participative mode of management

·         Continuous value addition of the persons involved

·         Effectively integrating individual competencies and complimentarity

A Critical Appraisal of the Prevailing Systems

à The present day models have been developed from the materialistic world view.

à They are using latest scientific knowledge and sophisticated technologies

à But they are incompatible with ecology and not conducive to Human Welfare.

à Heavily dependent on non-renewable sources causing depletion as well as pollution

à Natural resources, labour etc. are being substituted with the artificial ones.

à More complicated systems which are highly capital and energy intensive

à Although labelled as user friendly, and of being superior quality products or systems, they are not conducive to human welfare.

Learning from the Systems in Nature and Traditional Practices

To gain an insight into the holistic systems we need to learn from the systems of nature and from traditional practices. The modern world is living with a wrong notion that nature is meant to be controlled and exploited for human enjoyment. This is what is termed as development these days. But in reality, human beings are an integral part of this self-sustaining nature. Hence it is essential that they live in harmony with nature. 

Similarly, with the increase in knowledge and skills, and changing needs, many improvisations are being made in technologies. But they are not as eco-friendly and people-friendly as the traditional practices. Hence, it is necessary that the improvisations should recognise and retain the good qualities of the traditional practices.

CHAPTER XIV: Professional Ethics In The Light Of Right Understanding 

HUMAN VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

LECTURE NOTES

UNIT –V : CHAPTER XIV 

              Professional Ethics in the light of Right Understanding:

Profession: The participation of human beings in the larger order to pursue the Comprehensive Human Goal

à It is a participation involving production and production related activities. It helps to provide physical facilities for oneself and one’s family.

Professional Education: The education which helps to acquire the specific skills and knowledge for any profession

Professional Ethics (also called Ethical Conduct of Profession) : right utilization of one’s professional skills 

à A competent professional should carry out his profession with Right Understanding, Dexterity and Commitment. His efforts should be conducive to human welfare, to the happiness and prosperity of everyone and to the enrichment of nature.

To have competence in professional ethics, one should have:

·         Clarity about the Comprehensive Human Goal

·         Confidence in yourself and in harmony at all levels

·         Competence of mutually fulfilling behaviour with ethical conduct

·         Competence of mutually enriching interaction with nature

·         Competence of actualizing/ implementing of one’s understanding

Issues in Professional Ethics – The Current Scenario

Issues such as Corruption, Tax evasion, Cut-throat competition, Consumer Exploitation, Adulteration, Endangering Public Health and Safety, Hoarding (accumulating) and Overcharging, Unethical Advertisements and Sales Promotions etc.

Examples:

à Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Chernobyl Disaster

à Hawala and Benami transactions

à Drug mafia, Builders’ mafia, Arms mafia

à Promoting harmful products like Pan masala etc.

The way out:

à Introducing Awareness Programmes, New Courses, Case Studies

à By administering Oaths & Prescribing Codes of ethical Conduct for professions.

à Carrying out intensive audits

à Implementing strict laws and harder punishments

à Carrying out “Sting Operations”

à Encourage whistle blowing by Individuals and Groups

Inherent Contradictions and Dilemmas:

Several businesses follow the policy “ Your loss is my gain”

Examples:

à Cigarettes, Gutkas, Pan-masalas are advertised in a glamourous, tempting manner but come with  Statuatory Warnings such as “ Injurious to Health”etc.

à the professions of Doctors, Lawyers, Defence Personnel etc.

Often, the common man’s question is: Should we buy them or Should we not?

Such contradictions and dilemmas occur due to prime focus on profit maximization.

The only solution to all such dilemmas is RIGHT UNDERSTANDING.

CHAPTER XIII: Basis For The Holistic Alternative Towards Universal Human Order

HUMAN VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

LECTURE NOTES

UNIT –V : CHAPTER XIII 

              CHAPTER XIII: Basis For The Holistic Alternative Towards Universal Human Order 

               Holistic = a belief that all parts are interconnected to form a whole (dealing with the whole rather than the individual units)

Vision of Holistic Alternative = choosing to deal with the whole rather than with individual units

Identifying Comprehensive Human Goal

The Comprehensive Human Goal consists of:

Basis of Humanistic Education & Humanistic Constitution

Implimentation of Right Understanding          leads to change in education system(humanistic education)

                            (thus)Education changes from mere reading,writing,arithmetic to understanding and developing harmony at all levels.

Humanistic Education

• emphasizes on self exploration
• leads to self evolution

• enables to realize innateness(svatva) 
• changes the entire education system in the long run
•  (To develop such education, lot of research effort is needed to develop new models)

Humanistic Constitution

• Refers to the creation of clear guidelines & policy framework to safe guard social justice(wiping out caste, religion, economic bias etc) and to develop a universal human order
• Subsides conflicts ranging from family level to global level.

Universal Human Order and its Implications